ballot measures

Washington’s November election will decide three statewide ballot measures. Two are competing gun-related initiatives. There’s also a proposal to make public school class sizes smaller. So far, nearly $6 million has flowed to these campaigns. And it’s still early yet.

A group of Oregonians will meet this week in Salem to figure out where they stand on an upcoming ballot measure. It's called the Citizens’ Initiative Review, and it's been a part of the Oregon election process since 2010. This Oregon-based exercise in democracy is expanding to two more states this year.

Oregonians will get the chance to vote on whether food companies should label products that contain genetically engineered ingredients. An initiative to do that qualified for the November ballot Wednesday.

Washington’s fall voters’ guide may be 20 pages longer and cost nearly $250,000 more to publish. That’s because of a voter-approved requirement that all tax hikes appear on the ballot for an advisory vote. This year there will be five of these non-binding ballot measures.

Oregon lawmakers want to tighten the rules for getting initiative petitions on the ballot. The Oregon House Friday approved a measure that would extend signature gathering laws to more groups involved in the process. But opponents say the legislation could unfairly affect people trying to get measures on the ballot.